Loeb v. Loeb, 1267S145

• Decision Date: 03 April 1969
• Docket Number: No. 1267S145,1267S145
• Citation: 245 N.E.2d 831,252 Ind. 96
• Parties: Edward Samuel LOEB, Appellant, v. Millicent R. LOEB, Appellee.
• Court: Indiana Supreme Court

Page 831

245 N.E.2d 831

252 Ind. 96

Edward Samuel LOEB, Appellant, v. Millicent R. LOEB, Appellee.

No. 1267S145.

Supreme Court of Indiana.

April 3, 1969.

Louis Pearlman, Jr., Lafayette, for appellant.

Thomas W. Munger, George E. Weigle, Lafayette, for appellee.

JACKSON, Judge.

This is in effect an appeal from an interlocutory order for support entered by the above entitled court in this cause. It appears that on August 25, 1966, on petition of plaintiff-appellee an order was entered granting her suit and support money, care and custody of the minor children of the parties, providing for visitation of the children by appellant, the sum of $100.00 per week support for plaintiff-appellee, the right of occupancy of certain described property and ordering appellant to pay certain designated bills, all pendente lite.

Thereafter, on May 31, 1967, plaintiff-appellee filed in said court a petition for an increase of support order for additional funds by way of lump sum allowance, for funds to send the children to summer camps and for an order requiring the defendant-appellant to pay the bills. Hearing on the motion was set forth June 19, 1967; as such petition requires ten pages of record we omit the same.

On June 13, 1967, appellant-defendant filed his motion to strike out certain allegations set forth in plaintiff-appellee's petition. Content of the motion is omitted, as without the petition for increase in allowance, the motion is unintelligible. Hearing was had on appellant-defendant's motion to strike, the same was denied and then hearing was had on appellee-plaintiff's petition for increase in support order. Final evidence and argument of counsel on said petition was completed on October 17, 1967, and the court took the matter under advisement.

Thereafter, on November 17, 1967, the court found for the petitioner on her petition and modified the order of August 25, 1966, appearing in Order Book No. 134, at page 119, of the records of the court as follows, to-wit:

'The Defendant shall and he is hereby ordered to pay to the Clerk of this Court on Friday, the 24th day of November 1967, the sum of Two Hundred ($200.00) Dollars for the support and maintenance of the Plaintiff and the minor children of the parties, and to pay to said Clerk for such purpose a like sum of $200.00 on each succeeding Friday thereafter until the further order of the Court.

It is further ordered that the Plaintiff shall continue to have the right to use and occupy the premises known as 2170 Tecumseh Park Lane, West Lafayette, Indiana, for the residence of herself and the minor children, Pendente Lite. And the Defendant shall pay all mortgage payments, taxes, insurance payments and utility bills excepting telephone service, and shall pay all reasonable costs of maintenance and repair in connection with the occupancy of said premises as a residence for said Plaintiff and minor children.

And the Defendant is further ordered and directed to furnish and install within thirty days from this date in the kitchen of the premises at 2170 Tecumseh Park Lane, West Lafayette, Indiana, occupied by Plaintiff and said minor children, a tile floor of the color and design acceptable to plaintiff and of a like quality to the title originally installed in said kitchen.

The Defendant and Cross-Complainant is further ordered and directed to furnish all medical, dental and hospital care required by Petitioner and the children of the parties or any of them.

The Defendant and Cross-Complainant is further ordered to pay to Plaintiff and to accept her receipt therefor within fifteen (15) days from this date, the sum of Five Thousand ($5000.00) Dollars; and the plaintiff is directed to pay out of such fund all existing indebtedness and to furnish to the Court within thirty (30) days after receipt of such money a list evidencing payment of such obligations; at which time the Court shall order disposition of any balance remaining of said fund. The Court further orders that to the extent that same maybe necessary for the raising of such lump sum by the defendant, the Clerk may release to the defendant for the purpose of pledging same as security for the obtaining of such funds, the shares of stock of Purdue National Bank, provided, however, that such shares may not be sold for such purpose.'

It is from this order that this appeal stems. The appellant's assignment of errors, omitting heading, formal parts and signature, in pertinent part reads as follows:

'1. That the court erred in denying appellant's Motion to Strike Certain Allegations in appellee's Petition for Increase of Support.

2. That the court erred in granting appellee's Petition for Increase of Support Order and thereby modifying the pendente lite Support Order of August 25, 1966.

3. That the decision of the court in entering the Order of November 17, 1967, modifying the order of August 25, 1966, is not sustained by sufficient evidence.

4. That the decision of the court in entering the Order of November 17, 1967, modifying the Order of August 25, 1966, is contrary to law.

5. That the court erred in the admission of evidence as follows:

(a) In admitting a Dun and Bradstreet report of Appellant's employer. (Plaintiff's-Appellee's Exhibit 16).

(b) In admitting Plaintiff's-Appellee's Exhibits 29, 30 and 31.

(c) In admitting the testimony of Leona Cohen.

(d) In admitting the testimony of William Godby.

6. That the court erred in admitting all testimony concerning matters prior to August 25, 1966, and thereby not limiting testimony to matters constituting change in circumstances.

7. That the court erred in basing the Support Order upon a prospective bonus to be received by appellant in March of 1968.

8. That the court erred in deciding upon insufficient evidence that the appellant would receive a bonus in March of 1968.'

On May 16, 1968, appellee filed a motion entitled Motion to Dismiss Appeal or to Affirm Order. While we do not regard the proceedings herein as a model to be followed, we are of the opinion there has been a sufficient compliance with the statute and with the rules of this Court to permit the denial of the motion to dismiss and to consider the appeal on the merits.

We deem it unnecessary to go into detail as to a summary of the evidence most favorable to the appellee, i.e. the worth of the appellant, his income, etc. for the reason that while we are mindful of the well established rule, that this Court will not disturb the order of the trial court unless it clearly appears that there has been an abuse of discretion in making the order, it is equally true that this judicial discretion is subject to review on appeal.

In the case at bar we are of the opinion a clear abuse of discretion by unfair and arbitrary action has been shown. The pendente lite allowance for support of plaintiff and two minor children was, on motion of appellee, doubled. Plaintiff...